David Drake, also known as “Dave the Potter”, was a master craftsman, poet, and one of the most remarkable enslaved Africans in 19th-century America. Born around 1800 in South Carolina, he was taught to shape clay into large, durable jars. But Drake did more than just make pots, he inscribed them with his name and original poems, defying laws that banned enslaved Africans from reading and writing. Through his verses, he expressed hope, sorrow, and quiet resistance, turning everyday pottery into lasting works of art and courage.
Drake was born on a plantation owned by the Drake family and was first enslaved by Harvey Drake, who operated a large pottery business in Edgefield, South Carolina, with his partner Abner Landrum. This area, known as Pottersville, became a hub for stoneware production. Drake, along with over 70 other enslaved Africans, worked in one of twelve pottery factories during the antebellum period in Edgefield.
Drake’s skill as a potter quickly became apparent. He specialized in creating large, alkaline-glazed stoneware jars, some capable of holding up to 40 gallons. These vessels, prized for their size and durability, were practical storage containers. But in Drake’s hands, they became something more: vehicles for poetic expression and subtle rebellion.
At a time when it was illegal for enslaved Africans in South Carolina to learn to read or write, Drake’s literacy set him apart. The state’s Negro Act of 1740 had banned the education of enslaved Africans, and by 1834, punishments for literacy were even harsher: enslaved Africans caught teaching others could be whipped, and whites who taught them could be fined or jailed. Despite this, Drake inscribed his pots with his name, dates, and original verses, acts that were bold and dangerous.
How he learned to read and write remains unclear, though it is speculated that Abner Landrum, a religious man who published The Edgefield Hive, may have taught him. These inscriptions were revolutionary, not only because they defied state laws but also because they asserted humanity in a system designed to deny it.
Drake’s earliest known inscription dates to July 12, 1834, and reads:
Put every bit all between / Surely this jar will hold 14
Over the years, he continued to write couplets, and reflections that touched on everything from practical information about the jar’s capacity to deeper meditations on his condition:
I wonder where is all my relations / Friendship to all and every nation
This inscription, dated August 16, 1857, is among his most touching, hinting at the trauma of family separation under slavery while expressing a profound yearning for unity and peace.
At various points in his life, Drake signed his name as simply “Dave,” and his pots often bore the initials “LM,” referencing Lewis Miles, one of his enslavers and owner of the Stony Bluff pottery. In one inscription, he directly acknowledged his status:
Dave belongs to Mr. Miles / Wher the oven bakes & the pot biles
These inscriptions serve as early examples of African American literary expression and are now recognized as both folk art and cultural resistance. Scholars have interpreted Drake’s verses as early expressions of civil rights ideals, created in an era when any form of Black self-expression was dangerous.
Drake’s life was marked by frequent changes in ownership. After Harvey Drake’s death in 1832, he passed through the hands of Reuben Drake, Rev. John Landrum, Franklin Landrum, and finally Lewis Miles. His time under Franklin Landrum is believed to have been particularly harsh; no inscribed works are known from this period. It was only when he came under Miles’ ownership that he resumed inscribing poetry, producing dozens of signed and dated pieces between 1849 and 1860.
However, his last known poem is dated May 3, 1862, and it comments on the Civil War taking place during that time: “I made this Jar all of cross / If you don’t repent, you will be lost.”
At some point in his life, Drake lost a leg. The cause remains a mystery, with some suggesting it resulted from a train accident, while others believe it may have been punishment for his literary defiance.
After the Civil War, Drake gained his freedom and likely adopted the surname “Drake” from his first enslaver. The 1870 census lists him as “David Drake, Turner,” but by the 1880 census, he disappears from records, suggesting he died sometime in the 1870s.
Though Drake’s pots originally sold for mere cents, today they command tens of thousands of dollars at auction. In 2021, one of his inscribed jars sold for a staggering $1.56 million, setting a world record for American pottery. Yet while these pieces reside in private collections and prestigious museums, and while institutions and collectors profit from their sale and display, Drake’s descendants are not entitled to any share of these proceeds.
The very works he created while enslaved, under forced labor and constant threat, now circulate as luxury items, enriching institutions and collectors, while those descended from the artist remain excluded from the profits.
Drake’s work has gained increased recognition in the 21st century. The 1998 University of South Carolina exhibition “The Life and Works of the Enslaved African American Potter, Dave” was the first dedicated to his artistry. Books such as Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave (2010), Etched in Clay (2013), and Praise Songs for Dave the Potter (2023) have brought his story to broader audiences, including young readers. Contemporary artists like Theaster Gates have even created exhibitions in dialogue with his legacy, highlighting issues of race, craft, and history.
Sources:
https://ceramics.org/ceramic-tech-today/dave-the-potter-resistance-through-poetic-pottery/
Crocker Farm Smashes American Pottery Record With $1.56 Million Dave Jar
